The Mexico-based South African duo of Jermaine Seoposenwe and Thembi Kgatlana could play in the new FIFA Women’s Club World Cup that is set to start in 2026.
But first, they have to go through a grueling series of matches in the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) region, to get to the top.
There are 10 teams in the newly launched CONCACAF Women’s Champions Cup, made up of teams from Mexico, USA, Jamaica, Panama, Canada and El Salvador.
The competition serves as qualification for the FIFA Club World Cup.
In the group stages draw conducted on Thursday (6 June 2024), Kgatlana’s UANL Tigres and Seoposenwe’s CF Monterrey are both in Group B, alongside NY/NJ Gotham FC (United States), LD Alajuelense (Costa Rica) and Frazsiers Whip Football Limited (Jamaica).
In Group B lies Club America (Mexico), Santa Fe (Panama), San Diego Wave (USA), Portland Thorns FC (USA) and one between Vancouver White Caps FC (Canada) and Allianza Women (El Salvador) – the pair still has to meet in the play-offs to determine the 10th team in the group stages.
The side from El Salvador will host the Preliminary Round single-leg match.
CF Monterrey qualified for the first ever edition of the CONCACAF Women’s Champions Cup after winning the league in the Clausura 2024 in Liga MX Femenil, while Tigres claimed gold in the league in the Apertura 2023. Club America are the best runners up in the league based on points.
The inaugural competition will run from August 2024 to May 2025, with the FIFA Club World Cup scheduled to take place in January/February 2026.
CONCACAF WOMEN’S CHAMPIONS DRAW:
Group A:
NJ/NY Gotham FC
Tigres Femenil
CF Monterrey Femenil
LD Alajuelense
Frazsiers Whip Football Limited
Group B:
San Diego Wave FC
Portland Thorns FC
Club America Femenil
Santa Fe FC
Preliminary Round winner (Vancouver White Caps FC or Allianza Women)
COMPETITION FORMAT AND DATES
The Concacaf W Champions Cup includes a Preliminary Round, followed by group and direct elimination play. The Preliminary Round will be a single-leg match between two clubs, with the winner advancing to the Group Stage.
Preliminary Round: August 13-15, 2024
The Group Stage will feature 10 clubs divided into two groups of five clubs each. Each club will play every club in its group once, for a total of four matches per club (two at home and two away). At the conclusion of Group Stage play, the group winners and runners-up (four clubs in total) will progress to the competition’s Finals.
Group Stage Week 1: August 20-22, 2024
Group Stage Week 2: September 3-5, 2024
Group Stage Week 3: September 17-19, 2024
Group Stage Week 4: October 1-3, 2024
Group Stage Week 5: October 15-17, 2024
Finals (Semifinals, 3rd Place match, and Final):
May 22-25, 2025
Teams for CONCACAF Women’s Champions Cup:
| Country | Team | Qualification Method |
| Costa Rica | Alajuelense | 2023 Costa Rica Women’s Premier Division – Apertura and Clausura champions |
| Jamaica | Frazsiers Whip | 2022/23 Jamaica Women’s Premier League champions |
| Mexico | UANL Tigres | 2023 Liga MX Femenil Apertura champions |
| Mexico | FC Monterrey | 2024 Liga MX Femenil Clausura champions |
| Mexico | Club America | Best runner-up of the 2023/24 Liga MX Femenil season based on accumulated points during the regular phase |
| Panama | Santa Fe | Liga de Fútbol Femenino Apertura 2024 champions |
| USA | NJ/NY Gotham City | 2023 National Women’s Soccer League champions |
| USA | San Diego Wave | 2023 National Women’s Soccer League Shield winners |
| USA | Portland Thorns FC | 2023 National Women’s Soccer League Shield runners up |
| PRELIMINARY ROUNDS: | ||
| CANADA | White Caps FC Girls Elite | 2023 League 1 Canada Inter-Provincial Championship winners |
| El Salvador | Allianza Women | 2023/24 Primera División Femenina de El Salvador Apertura–Clausura play-off winners |
By Matlhomola Morake
